Week's 'relief' for patients at government hospitals

For those stuck with the now illegal Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes in the middle of a medical emergency, the state government has decided to extend a helping hand.Prabin Kalita | TNN | November 15, 2016, 07:09 IST

GUWAHATI: For those stuck with the now illegal Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes in the middle of a medical emergency, the state government has decided to extend a helping hand. While the Centre's deadline granting exemption to the use of demonetized notes for certain transactions comes to an end on Monday, the Assam government has assured that it would be extended for patients in government hospitals for at least one week.

"We have a contingency plan in place to give relief to people at government hospitals for at least one week if the deadline is not extended. It depends on what decision the central government takes on Monday," state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Union finance ministry on Friday had extended the exemption period for certain transactions from November 11 to November 14, which included payment of medical bills in government hospitals. The exemption, however, is currently not applicable to private hospitals.

Sarma said the situation in the state is expected to get normalized by Monday. "Cash inflow has improved. The SBI authorities have informed me that all of their ATMs would be functional by Sunday night," Sarma added. The State Bank of India has 3115 ATMs in the state.

In view of the severe hardships being faced by people, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal took up the matter with Reserve Bank of India's regional director, BK Mishra, on Saturday.

Sarma said since Thursday SBI has disbursed Rs 2600 crore from their counters and through ATMs while the other banks, including private banks, have together given out Rs 1100 crore.